Cotton farming gains popularity in Rajshahi. Photo: BSS

By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Feb 2, 2025 (BSS)- Cotton farming fields are not only delighting the growers but also making them happy as they are getting cherished yield and market price in the region, including its vast Barind tract for the last couple of years.

Talking to BSS, Rafiqul Islam, 48, a resident of Kazla village under Nachole upazila in Chapainawabganj district, said he has been cultivating cotton for the last around 14 years.

"Cotton farming needs less cost but its profit is more," he said with a smiling face. 

Bairul Islam, 54, another farmer of Akhila village under the upazila, said he has been benefited through the cotton farming in between the mango trees. He yields 12 to 15 mounds from per bigha of land valued at Taka 50,000 to 60,000. 

Leaving behind all costs, they earn a profit of Taka 35,000 to 40,000 from per bigha of land. For this reason, farmers of the Barind area are seen humming towards cotton farming.

Bairul said farmers cultivated cotton on more lands this year compared to the previous year. 

Bishwajit Barman, field officer of Cotton Development Board, said the highlands in Barind area where crops are not grown due to lack of irrigation facilities are suitable for cotton farming.

He said cotton is an extra profit-making crop compared to many other conventional crops. The growers need not go to markets for selling the crop as the buyers are seen roaming towards farmers' doorsteps.

As a result, the farmers are interested in the cash making this cotton farming popular. "We have increased projection plots to inspire the farmers to cotton farming," he added.

Mozaddid Al Shamim, chief cotton development officer (CCDO), told BSS that they are conducting cotton farming extension activities through 18 units in 15 upazilas under the zone of Cotton Development Board.

He said farming inputs, including high yielding seeds, fertilizers and irrigation, were supplied among the farmers aimed at boosting cotton yield through expanding its farming. Necessary supports were given for marketing of seed cotton. Farmers were also organized in order to attain cherished results.

Cotton farmers were imparted training through establishing 105 demonstration plots. Apart from this, 90 ideal and 15 participatory projection plots were developed for cotton development and technology transfer.

Ginning method has been promoted for processing of seed cotton produced by the farmers.

CCDO Mozaddid said they are also conducting need-based research for uninterrupted expansion of cotton farming and production.
 
Cotton farming has also been expanded to the Amrapali mango orchard as intercropping in the barind area as well as to the infertile and barren land in char areas.
 
Various other crops and vegetables, including maize, pumpkin, sesame, mung bean, cucumber and bitter gourd are being cultivated as relay crops next to cotton.

Mozaddid Al Shamim narrated salient features of the eco-friendly cotton farming and its cotton-stalk and seeds and said cotton is an agriculture crop of multipurpose uses besides many other byproduct uses. Better quality edible oil and oil cake are manufactured from cotton seeds and cotton stalk is one of the best domestic fuels.

As oil cake is highly enriched with protein and fat many people use it in cow fattening farms and fish farming ponds for better outputs. Another byproduct of the cotton refining process is crude oil that is used in soap and glycerin factories as raw material.